Hitch



my 17@ WSE as. THMPSQN HITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2l, 1.947

INVENTOR.

E'. S. Thompson HTTYS Patented July 17, 19514 LUNiI 11S TAT E S `O F .F il CE 'HITCH Ernest S. Thompsom'lulare, Calif.

Application July 21, 1947,-Serial1N0.:762,370

`i"1eld,.it. is .desirable that a'hitch' for a disc harrow bearranged so' that such implement may be set to run at any position from a right-hand olfset position, through a central position, to a left-hand offset position; the present invention providing such a hitch, and one which is arranged whereby the adjustment can be accomplished positively, readily, and easily.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a hitch, as in the preceding paragraph, which includes a tongue, a cross bar, and means to adjustably and reversibly mount the tongue on the cross bar at selective points therealong; the tongue angling forwardly in a transverse horizontal plane whereby reversing of the tongue alters the direction of angularity and consequently changes the direction of offset of the trailing impleinent relative to the tractor.

It is also an object of the instant invention to provide a hitch which is strong and rugged, yet light to handle, and permits of short turning of the tractor without catching of the tractor wheels or tracks on the single pole or tongue which the hitch includes.

A still' further object is to provide a hitch which is simple, economical to manufacture, and easy to adjust, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specication and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the hitch as arranged in connection Iwith a tandem disc harrow.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the hitch as mounted on the harrow.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, of the tongue unit, detached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the hitch is here shown as used in connection with a tandem disc harrow, indicating generally at I, which includes a front gang 2 and a rear gang 3 connected together by means including an angle control mechanism 4 and a linkage assembly 5.

The hitch, which is the subject of the present invention, comprises a tubular cross bar 6 dis- I posed ahea'diof thefront gang'i in transversely extending relation to the directionof travel, and

.somewhat below and mainlyahead of the front cross beam` 'I of said front gang 2.

At one end the front beam'l of thefront gang 2 istted withan attachment bracket'which is 'xed on, and extendsi-lengthwiseof, said. beam l.

The attachment bracket 8' is of channel configuration, and a vertical spindle 9 is adjustable therealong by means of a row of holes l fi through which said spindle is selectively engageable; the spindle being retained in place by a nut I I.

At its lower end the spindle is fixed in connection with the tubular cross bar t, whereby said cross bar is mounted for swinging motion in a horizontal plane relative to the front gang 2.

At the end opposite the attachment bracket 8, the tubular cross bar 6 is attached, pivotally, as at I2, to a draft link I3 which slides through a guide Ill and thence extends rearwardly to adjustable pivotal connection, as at I5, With the rear gang 3.

The tubular cross bar 6 supports a single pole hitch unit, indicated generally at I6, which unit includes a sleeve Il from which a rigid tubular tongue I8 projects forwardly in angled relation, in a horizontal transverse plane, to the direction of travel. The tongue is reinforced in its mounting to the sleeve I'I by means of gusset plates or webs I9, and at its forward end said tongue is formed with a coupling eye 20 for attachment to the tractor.

The sleeve I1 is slidably and turnably engaged with a relatively close but easy t on the tubular cross bar 6, being maintained in any selected position therealong by locating collars 2| releasably secured to said cross bar at opposite ends of the sleeve.

By adjusting the position of the sleeve I'I along the tubular cross bar 6, the extent of offset of the tandem disc harrow I can be varied or regulated; the tongue unit I6, in any position of adjustment, being vertically swingable, which provides relative exibility in a vertical plane between the tractor and the implement, which is a desirable feature when uneven ground is being traversed.

By reason of the particular design of the tongue unit i6, it is reversible on the tubular cross bar to project angularly to right or left, in order to accomplish oifsetting of the tandem disc harrow l in opposite directions relative to the line of draft, andas previously explainedthe eX- tent of oset may be altered by adjusting the sleeve I'I along the tubular cross bar 6.

Different positions of the tongue unit i6 are 3 illustrated in full lines and broken lines in Fig. 1; a typical working position of the hitch being shown in full lines.

The design of the described hitch is such that its adjustment, to different working positions, can be effected quickly and easily, and in use the hitch is quite strong and rigid; the webbing I9 being disposed close to the sleeve l1, leaving the remainder of the pole or tongue I8 unobstructed. This is advantagtous, as there are no forward braces or the like to engage the tractor wheels or tracks when a short turn is made.

Lateral adjustment of the entire hitch is accomplished by adjustment of the Vertical spindle 9 along the attachment bracket 8.

From the foregoing description it will be readly seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

In an offset disc harrow which includes a transversely extending tubular hitch bar detachably connected at its ends to the front of the harrow, a sleeve slidably mounted on the bar, a tongue fixed to the sleeve and projecting out- Wardly therefrom at an angle to the longitudinal axis of such sleeve, the sleeve being adapted to be detached from the bar and replaced thereon in a reversed position whereby the tongue may be selectively positioned to project angularly to the right or to the left of the harrow, means to hold the sleeve in any selected position along the length of the bar; the tongue being xed to the sleeve at one end thereof and spaced from the other end, and a brace plate extending diagonally from the tongue to a point adjacent said other end of the sleeve.

ERNEST S. THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

